The Vatican's chief of doctrine said Saturday that the whole point of talks on Anglican-Catholic religious unity is to bring the Protestants back to Rome.William Cardinal Levada, prefect the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, told a dinner of about 300 in Kingston that "union with the Catholic Church is the goal of ecumenism (at least), we phrase it that way.
"Yet the very process of moving towards union works a change in churches ..."
The Catholic Church is enriched when another group adds its means of worship, although he hastened to add it would not be any "essential elements of sanctification or truth."
Those were already provided to the Church by Christ.
"Visible union with the catholic does not mean absorption to the greater whole, as a teaspoon of sugar would be lost in a gallon of coffee."
Instead, he compared it to an orchestra with "... all instruments tuned to the piano, ... all playing same notes of doctrinal clarity ... the beautiful and inviting sound of the world of God."
The issue has become pertinent after Pope Benedict XVI made overtures to traditional Anglicans, particularly in Britain, who cannot agree with recent moves to ordain female bishops and accommodate gay clergy and "marriages" or unions of gay congregants.
In October, Levada announced that new rules would allow disaffected Anglicans to convert by parish or even by diocese.
They would have their own governance within the Roman church, meaning they could keep traditions such as their liturgy.
Rome said it wasn't "poaching" Anglicans, just responding to requests from traditionalist bishops.
For decades, the two churches have held theological discussions on trying to reunite.
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